Clamping device



Oct. 20, 1959 5F07 WHO F. O. DUTTON CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Sept. 3, 1954:willi United States Patent O M 2,909,344 i j cLAMPnvG DEVICE jFrederick 0. Dutton, Newton Highlands, Application september 3, 1954,serial No. 454,011 4 s claims. (ci. 248-44) This` invention relates todevices for holding objects rigidly in upright position; it can beapplied to such articles as posts, supports, columns, poles and masts,but

`ment'between the objectsupported and the clamping device, which can beeasily tightened upon possible shrinkage of the supported object, whichpermits the easy and yet secure attachment of a tank fora liquid, andwhich device can be usedv with or without tank at the choice of theuser, and a `further object is 'generally to provide an improved deviceof this type which is particularly sturdy and reliable and yet easy tohandle and comparatively inexpensive and simple in manufacture. Y Y

A brief sunnnary of the linvention indicating its nature and substance,for attaining the above objects, is as follows. Y

A holding device according to the invention'comprises three or morepivoted clampingand supporting members which are centrally 'pivotedv ona-rigid frame platform or spider, which haveon'oneendmeans such as clawsforengaging the object to be supported,v whichl have on the other endleg portions adaptedto rest-ona supporting surface, V,and which have,betweenthese leg means and the pivot points on the spider, hingeprovisions from which extend toggle links that" are at their other endshinged Vto a hub ortoggle nut through which extends a`threaded spindlethat is confined-in the spider for rotary movmentthereon. The claws areforced inwardly by forcing theleg .portions outwardly-if thespiderandtoggle` hub are .forced apart with 'the screw. The spider :has a`centralspur eand can have .radial edge prongs, both for engaging the object tobe supported; these securing members can be fastened to the screw andspider proper or to a tank which is adapted to be removably-attached tothe spider instead of the edge prongs. In another important aspect ofthe invention, the aforesaid tank rests on the spider and is removablyattached thereto by ridges extending into recesses of the spider; in apreferred embodiment the tank bulges out between the clamp supports inorder to accommodate a considerable amount of liquid and to facilitatelling, and has attached to the inside of its bottom a spur and edgeprongs for securing the object to be supported, in the same manner assuch spur and prong edgescan be attached directly to the spider, makingit easily possible to sell and use the device either with or without thetank provisions.

These and other objects and aspects of novelty of the invention willappear from. the following description of a typical embodimentillustrating its novel characteristics. This description refers to adrawing in which Fig. l is a top view of the device;

2,909,344 Patented Oct. 20, 1959 ICC Fig. 7 is a section through thetank fastening and prong portion on the tank, on lines 7-7 of Fig. 4.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of the invention hasthree clamping and supporting members, `10.1, 10.2 and 10.3 which haveat the upper ends claws 11, at the lower ends curved legs, and pivotedthereto at 12 angular foot portions 15 with holes 16 (Fig. l)

that canI be used, if desired, to tack, screw or otherwise secure thelegs to the supporting surface.

The members 1l) are pivoted on a frame or spider 21 by means of rivets22. The spider 21 consists (Figs. l and 2) of three angular pieces 21.1,21.2, 21.3,Which are curved outwardly around a `central sleeve orbushing 23 which can be spot-Welded to the spider angles.

A toggle head 31 (Fig. 2) has at its center a toggle hub 32 with aninside thread, constituting a nut. The head 31 has further threeextensions or arms 33 to which are pivoted at 34 the toggle links 35which are at their other ends, at 36, pivoted to the legs 10. Asindicated in Fig. 1, there are altogether siX toggle links, such as35.21 and 35.22 pivoted to leg 10.2 and angular members 31.1 and 31.3 ofthe toggle head.

A screw spindle 41 is threaded into toggle nut 32 and, as shown in`Fig.6, it extends into the bushing 23 of the spider 21, transmitting itsthrust by way of a shoulder 43. The screw spindle 41 ends into a spur 45for engaging center of the object to be supported. In order to preventthe spindle from falling out of bushing 23, its upper shoulder, belowthe spur 45, can be turned out as indicated at 46. As indicated in Fig.5, three edge pieces 51 are inserted between'the arms 21.1, 21.2, 21.3of spider 21. These edges can be spot-welded to the spider arms, orloosely inserted in order to permit the use of tank. For thesame'purpose, the spur 45 can be aseparate piece,

' as indicated at 66 of Fig. 6. v

Especially for use as a Christmas tree holder, a tank can be combinedwith the above described'support, as

follows.

VAs shown'in Figs. 3 and 4, a cloverleaf shaped vessel -61 has a bottom62 which ts between the legs 10 but `bulgesY outwardly therebetween,thus accommodating a considerable amount of liquid and permitting easyaccess -fonlling As indicated in Figs. 4 and 7, supporting ridges 63,for example cut from a T-section, are welded to the bottom `of the tank,and three edge pieces 64, corresponding to the above described edges 51,are welded to the inside of the tank bottom. A central spur 65,corresponding to the separate spur 45 or extension 45 of the screwspindle 41 is likewise welded to the inside bottom of the tank 61. Asmentioned above, instead of using the extension 45v of the screw 41, aseparate spur is provided, as indicated at 66 of Fig. 6, it is intendedto use the basic support construction either with or without tank.

For using the device according to the invention, the legs 10'areinitially separated by rotating screw 41 such as to pull the toggle head31towards the spider 21, or by pushing'the legs apart with the screw endwithin the bushing 23 if a separate spur is used as indicated at 66 ofFig. 6. The object to be supported such as a Christmas tree O is thenforcibly inserted with its bottom center' on spur 45 and with its faceon edges 51 or 64. The screw 41 is then turned in the oppositedirection, such as to separate spider and toggle head. This pushes thepivots 36 outwardly and forces the claws 11 into the object. It will benoted the claws 11 are so shaped that this operation forces the edges 51or 64 further into the bottom of the object .to -besupported It is lthepurpose of these edges to holdthe objectfrom rotating around thevertical axis, which is a very important function in lthe use of suchdevices, because it prevents the supported object from rotating andbeing scratched `by the claws 11 before the latter grips it firmly. j

The holding device proper can be 4used with or without the tank, inwhich case the edges 51 and the spur 45 are not permanently attached tothe spider ,but can be removed for replacement by the similar elementsof the tank, if the latter is used. v

lt should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: l

1. A device for holding an elongate object comprising: a frame platformhaving a central hole anda plurality of peripherally locatedsupportpivot means; a plurality of clamping support members each havingplatform joint means pivoted on said support pivot means -of Vtheplatform, each clamping support member having at its upper end aninwardly pointing claw portion, each clamping support member having atits lower -end supporting leg portions, and each clamping support,member having a toggle pivot bearing located between said platformjoint means and said leg portion; toggle means including a hub with aninternal thread in axial alignment with said platform hole and with aplurality of toggle .pivot means located above said toggle pivotbearings, anda plurality of links keach link being pivotally joined atone-end to a respective 011e of said toggle .pivot means of .the vhuband .each link ybeing pivotally joined at the `other.`end to arespective one of said toggle pivot bearings of a respective clampingsupport member; and a screw extending through and engaging the thread ofsaid hub and with a smooth end portion extending Vinto said hole Aofsaid platform,

and having a thrust face which rests against the underside of theplatform; whereby saidclaw :portions grip the object upon increasing thedistance between platform and hub by operating the screw.

2. A device for holding an elongate object comprising: a frame platformhaving a central hole yand a pluralityof peripherally located supportpivot means; a plurality of clamping members each having platform jointmeans pivoted on said support pivot means of the platform, each clampingmember having at :its upper end an inwardly pointing claw portion, eachclamping member having at its lower end supporting leg portions, andeach clamping member having a toggle pivot-bearing located between saidplatform joint means and said leg portion; toggle means including a hubwith `an internal thread in axial alignment with said platform hole andwith a plurality of toggle pivot means located above said toggle pivotbearings; links geach pivotally joined at one end to a respective one ofsaid toggle pivot means of the hub and each pivotally joined at theother end to a respective one of said toggle pivot bearings of arespective clamping member; a screw engaging and extending through saidthread of said 4hub into said hole of said platform, and having a thrustface which rests against the underside of the platform; tank meansresting on said platform; and prong members extending from the bottom ofy'said tanknieans gtowards said claw portions for gripping the objectbetween prong members and claw portions upon increasing =the distancebetween platform and hub by operating the screw.

3. A device for holding an elongate object comprising: a spider framemade from three angular members defining a central hole and spacesbetween adjacent arms of the 'angular members, and having a bushingfastened in the hole; three S-shaped clamping supports pivotallyfastened, with spaces therebetween, at intermediate swivel joints to thespider arms formed by saidangular members, having at their upper endsinwardlyv directed claws .and at their ylower ends supporting legportions; toggle meansincluding avhub having an internal threadsubstantially in axial alignment with said spider frame hole and threeradial Apivot arms one for each of said swival joints and three linkseach pivoted at one end to one of said pivot arms and pivoted at theother end to pivot holes located on the corresponding clamping supportbelow said pivot arms between its swivel joint and its leg portion; ascrew extending through said thread of said hub, having a smooth endportion within said'bushingr of the spider frame, and a shoulder whichrests against the underside of said bushing; tankvmeans resting on saidspider frame, bulging laterally into the spaces between said clampingsupports, and having on the outside of its bottom ridges kextending intoVsaid spaces between said arms of said angular members of the spider'frame; and prong members extending from the bottom of said tank meanstowards said -claws including a central spur and v,substantiallyradially extending edge members lopposite-said bottom ridges, forsecuring the object against swinging as well as rotation, gripping itupon forcing ythehub away from the spider -frame by turning the screwand forcing the claws into the object.

References Cited -in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS v523,376 ,Pruckner July 24, 1894- 892,181 l'Peterson 111116.30, 19081,273,639 Lyons July 23, 1918 1,460,859 Mayer July 3, 1923 1,579,275vZeigler Apr. 6, 1926 1,859,289 Dalton May 2A, 1932

